Pejibaye

Description:

Bactris gasipaes grows erect, with a single slender stem or, more often, several stems to 20 cm thick, in a cluster; generally armed with stiff, black spines in circular rows from the base to the summit. There are occasional specimens with only a few spines. It can typically grow to 20 metres or taller . The leaves are pinnate, 3 metres long on a 1 metre long petiole. The fruit is a drupe with edible pulp surrounding the single seed, 4–6 cm long and 3–5 cm broad. The rind (epicarp) of the fruit can be red, yellow, or orange when the fruit is ripe, depending on the variety of the palm.

Habitat:

is a species of palm native to the tropical forests of South and Central America.

Notes:

Bactris gasipaes is well known by local people where it grows and has been used for centuries as food. The fruit is frequently stewed in salted water. However, it may be eaten raw after being peeled and flavored with salt and sometimes honey. It can also be used to make compotes and jellies or to make flour and edible oil. The composition of 100 grams of pulp: 164 calories, 2.5 g of protein, 28 mg of calcium, 31 mg of phosphorus, 3.3 mg of iron, 1,500 mmg of vitamin A, 0.06 mg of vitamin B1 and 34 mg of vitamin C.